My experience with the new Sky Broadband Hub

[RobHL]

@englishl1989 agree completely. 

[Ian27]

Well I have nowhere near 30 devices and the new router is rubbish.

We have 3 sky Q boxes, 4 phones, Hive heating, 2 x box a pc and a couple of other items that show on the list but are not being used.

As soon as I plug the new router in, the devices randomly lose the signal. The kids games consoles lag terribly and on the iPhones we have to turn the wi Fi off then back on to reconnect.

plug the old router in and everything works do there has to be something wrong somewhere with the new router.

Its pointless me ( And probably many others ) reading all this technical info about switches etc etc as it is over my head.

All I want is a router that I am paying for to do the job it is supposed to do.

[Chrisee]

@RobHL I pay the full price for Sky broadband so please do not reduce this to a mud slinging debate. 

[Dave+H68]

@Chrisee , Thanks for the further info on the  way Sky use slightly different equipment at the exchange......... I wonder whay that is though? I wonder if other providers such as EE, Voda, TalkTalk etc use any other equipment, or just rely on what Openreach have as default??

But as it is, I think I'm managing to squeeze the most from my package and set up, and I'm hoping that the limitations is more about the copper lines from the cabinate to our house reaching it's limits.

The PING is still high, but it does now feel a bit more consistant and stable.

It'll be interesting to see what the options are when the Fibre on the poles in our clos go live.............  Is there a way of telling if it can come straight from the pole, or if they will insist on digging?? .... not sure why they would if it's 20 feet in the air right outside our house??  😉

Out of interest...  I might measure all the distances of cable from the cabinate to our house  LOL.

Also, to confirm,.............  I never had any issue with my managed switches with the Sky ER115  hugb (any haven't posted it anywhere), as I swapped out the ER115 for the D6400 with my un-managed switches first as the D6400 arrived before the GS908's.   That said, my old un-managed switches never caused any issues with my EE hub, or my older DGN1000, or the new D6400... only the Sky ER115.....................

I also can't comment towards any of the other Sky hubs, eg. SR203 as I was never sent one.

I guess it's either a nighmare, or just plain impossible to balance cost and service to so many housolds that have so many different requirements.

Cheers again for your input and insight.  😉

[Chrisee]

@Dave+H68 you misunderstood what I posted. Openreach have an interface to ISPs at each exchange Sky has its own backhaul network from there as do BT Wholesale whose customers include EE and other BT group companies, I don't know for sure but I think TalkTalk have their own backhaul network etc. Openreach stop at the exchange.

In practice the backhaul networks are much of a muchness with slight variation between routes used so there will be differences between ping to certain servers but they will average out but we are only talking the odd ms or so.   My own ping to the standard server I use to test performance is currenty 12ms on Sky which is reasonable but varies from 8ms to around 17ms IIRC. I no longer game seriously so it is of only academic interest. .

As fibre roll out is planned in each area Openreach will use solutions that make economic sense. My own area is being surveyed currently but as the existing cables are underground I would expect them to use the same ducts at least to the distribution points however I am no expert on fibre installs. Your area mat well be different.

The issues with managed switches I mentioned are in relation to the Q TV boxes not the hubs. Great if you don't have issues just be aware there is a history of issues if things stop,working.

[Dave+H68]

@Chrisee , ok, thank you....... I got ya.... I think! LOL,

But in essence......... if I'm understanding this correctly........... there IS some sort of difference in the setup from my old EE service to my new Sky service..... ?

so, this 'could' be why I always used to see a PING of no higher than 7 - 9 (unless the line or hub had been switched off or disconnected, so it had to settle down), but now, it's consitantly 17-20, yes??

The one thing I do see is the hesitenve in some pages or emails loading images, but Media streaming and the kids gaming is un-effected.... which is a little strange maybe??

Anyway, for me, with the network and devices set up we have, it's far better for us to be able to manage the equipment etc... as opossed to the stiff, propriatry way the Sky equipment works.

....... but I guess we are all still looking for improvements if freely avaliable.

I'm hoping that the fibre on our poles will come straight from there when it goes live. ....... but I guess that's a whole new package and price......  But will it require a new router too?

[Denno]

Working at home last 6months I have seen men working on the poles and installing boxes and cables to them on the street so im assuming this is what Sky will come off? 

Anyway, the new Sky Hub has arrived. Model SR203. And it says do not connect until broadband connection date 20th Oct. This is when my Superfast should go live.

Im already with Sky on Fibre Max with the router model ER110.  So can i reall not just plug this new router in now??

[RobHL]

@Denno  do yourself a favour and stay on superfast on the old router.

[Denno]

That bad?? 

So get the new Superfast but leave the old router connected?

[RobHL]

Do it at your own risk but at least you know unlike others. You can see the issues that everyone is having on here with the sr203 and sr 204. Now even ISP review have an article up on it.

[Denno]

I have been having some issues lately with loss of Wi-Fi and lagging computer. Having worked at home for the last 6mths in addition to the Missus its not been too bad until last week. I contacted Sky and they said 15 connections was too much.

Thats 2 computers, 6 phones, Xbox, PS4, 2 TVs and 3 Sky boxes. Not exactly a "smart home"!

Anyway, the Superfast and new Hub was on offer so upgraded to knock payments down. So effectively what is meant to be an upgrade is a waste of time at the moment?

[RobHL]

Well thats strange because thats what they are telling people on here which have the new routers so work that out.

[englishl1989]

I would try the new router - it may work for you. 

But ignore skys request to send the old router back to them. Chances are you will have to revert back to it and getting one from sky once you have returned it is absolutely impossible.

If Sky request it back I would even go to the point of saying "until you sort out the firmware issue on the new router I will not be returning it". I am SOO glad I took that approach. 

[RobHL]

@englishl1989  yes good approach 

[Denno]

So can i plug this new router in now? Will it work with my current Fibre Max Broadband? 

If there are any router issues then I could raise it with the engineer?